Commonwealth Fabrics in Nassau, Bahamas

Photo taken from the Androsia Hand Batik website

Went searching for fabric while in Nassau... I know of two places, very near one another, in the Palmdale neighborhood of Nassau. They are about a 30 minute walk from the Paradise Island side of the Sidney Poitiers bridge. Many roads don't have sidewalks, so you must screw up your courage and walk the narrow streets with the speeding cars. I figure if Bahamians do it, I can do it. Drivers are used to pedestrians. On this walk you need to walk up and over the bridge and a hill in the center of the island. My Fitbit registered multiple flights of stairs.

Home Goods is one store and it is like a very small Michael's Craft store. It has flowers and paints and baskets and yarn and all those things. Most fabrics are imported fabrics, which we Americans can get at home. What I like to see are the tropical themed patterns. They have more of that type than I can find in the northeastern part of the States. They also have many bolts of a Bahamian batik. You have to want the word 'Bahamas' on your fabric, though. But they are nice - bright colors with sand dollars, turtles or starfish decorations. 

Commonwealth Fabrics was something else altogether. It was jammed with fabric, ribbons, buttons, thread and all types of embellishments. The store made me think of a combination of Mood Fabrics in New York and Jefferson Variety in New Orleans. It was very easy to get overwhelmed. I spent a good 20 minutes admiring the emerald green sequined lace and embellishments. I couldn't think how I'd incorporate them into my Mardi Gras costume, though I wanted something to bring home with me!

I don't know if Commonwealth Fabrics got hit by the hurricane, but holy cow, they were doing a huge amount of work on the roof. It was a disaster. I can't imagine what the store owner was thinking with all that inventory at risk. Much of the second floor was covered in plastic and open to the sky - with fabric below the plastic. And no signs telling customers to stay out. Such a different world than in the States. 

Any bare space on the walls (or columns, really) had photos of Michelle Obama sporting beautiful examples of the fabrics in her gowns. Great advertising. 

The staff were kind, and pretty much let me wander through and admire. I had no plan, so wasn't looking for anything that they could direct me to. There was a cabinet filled with Butterick patterns, but other than that one cabinet I was not aware of any patterns. There was at least one poster advertising a local dressmaker. 

The only locally made fabric at Commonwealth is another batik, called Androsia. I should have bought some, but I still had fabric from a previous trip which I still haven't used.  Instead I bought a stretchy knit which I will use to make another pair of palazzo pants. 

The only other place I know to buy local, Bahamian fabric is at Bahama Handprint, which I blogged about here.